Persona 5: Daywatch

Tuesday, 26 July 2016
Evening
Shibuya, Underground Walkway

Ann took another bite out of her ice cream stick. The best thing about summer in Tokyo was how well-stocked all the vending machines were. The sweet frozen goods reminded her of autumn cart vendors in Rauma. Her new school friend, Akemi, kept pace next to her, gushing about the special relief only ice cream provides. One of the people in the crowd focusing on her cell phone bumped into her and Ann backed up.

Makoto's red eyes looked back at her. "Sorry, Ann. I was just texting Akira."

"No problem, Makoto," the blonde said with a reassuring smile.

Akemi sidled closer to the upperclassman. "Akira, huh? Planning a special date with a special boy?"

A muscle under her eye twitched and red spread over the president's cheeks, the solid white poet blouse enhancing the color. "He's not my boyfriend!" She finished sending the text message, then hurriedly slipped her phone in her purse.

Akemi pouted, one hand on her hip. "Not there yet? Well, if you can't find The One, you can always find one to keep you warm!"

Ann jabbed her elbow into the smirking girl. "Easy there, tiger. Not everybody has your luck."

Biting down on the stub remaining of her ice cream bar, Akemi dug through her purse for her phone. She brandished her phone, then took the remainder of her ice cream bar in hand. On her phone smiled a young man sitting at a table with a tall glass of beer before him, with the self-styled Detective Prince next to him at a small night club. "It ain't just luck, ladies. You have to seize opportunity when you come across it!"

Makoto glowered at the phone, remembering the TV interview where Akechi skewered the Phantom Thief as a criminal the same as the criminals the team took down. "Are you saying your boyfriend is the Defective Detective?"

Akemi pouted. "That's the Detective Prince. And no. Though he is a hunk. It's Kouhachiro, the tall glass of college mmm." She pointed to the smiling boy with a beer. She turned a squinty-eyed gaze at Makoto. "How does Miss Top Marks, upperclassman, and student president not have a boyfriend? That's like… a dozen points for girlfriend material. At least tell me about the adorkable love letters people sneak into your shoe cubby."

"I'm… too busy trying to stay on top of everything. Top marks require a lot of studying." She took a quick breath and straightened. "Besides, Big Sis said not to trust boys who can't make a public confession. Shoe locker letters are prime prank or kidnapping opportunities."

Akemi planted a hand on her hip. "It's totally romantic! That's basically how I met Kouhachiro. He always came to the jazz club where I work, but one day, he left a love letter beneath the payment tray."

Makoto drew herself up to her full height. "And you just… called a stranger who left his phone number under the receipt?"

Akemi scoffed. "No. He came a bunch of times before with all different sorts of people. Guys who are nice to their servers are a big green flag."

Ann nudged her friend again. "Maybe a little biased when they're interested in the server."

Akemi elbowed her right back. "This from the most knock-down gorgeous girl in Shujin. And super nice – I have no idea how that took so long to make it into the grapevine. Guys should be falling over themselves to throw their coats down in front of you."

Wrinkling her nose, Ann crossed her arms. "I'd rather guys didn't go that overboard. The ones who jump out of nowhere to do things like that all think I'm an easy time."

Makoto looked between them, her smile twisting with a flicker of envy before returning to her calm, collected appearance. "It… is hard to imagine you as not having a boyfriend. There's plenty who are interested."

Ann rubbed her nose to cover what might have been a grimace slipping through her cheerful facade. "It's not that I never had guy friends. But it takes a while to build up a real network of people you trust. I had to start again when Papa and Mama moved to New York." She felt a muscle in her back twitch. "But school there was a lot like Rauma. Coming to Tokyo felt like a complete reset on my social life. Old friends across the world start getting late, forget to respond on SMS… especially when you're twelve hours ahead." She took another bite out of her ice cream bar. "And going from speaking Japanese occasionally at home to everywhere was exhausting."

The upperclassman's face tensed, but Akemi stared at the ground, shamefaced. "And I contributed to people not treating you like you deserved. Sorry, Ann-san."

Ann shoved at her classmate. "Don't be like that. I didn't drop into high school – it was second year in middle school – so most people already had a year to get into their friend groups." She felt her smile dim as she remembered that time, when she knew enough Japanese to understand every word spoken around her but still felt nervous enough her mind would go blank when teachers called on her in class. She forced a smile to keep from dragging down the mood. "Shiho turned that around, though."

Of course, as soon as the words were out, her best friend and her currently-ex-boyfriend surfaced in her mind. Ann took a big bite out of her ice cream bar. "I'm going to need more sugar."

Whether seeing the need to change topic or just being in a teasing mood, Akemi bumped against the blonde. "No fair, Ann! You can eat as much as you want and it all goes straight to the curves boys like!"

Wednesday, 27 July 2016
Afternoon
Futaba's Ha'tak

With bellies full of coffee, curry, or both, the Phantom Thieves slipped deeper into the pyramid-ship. Morgana flitted past a hall intersection and checked across, listening to the fading stomping of metallic boots, then signaled to his fellow Thieves. They flitted after him, Reaper and Joker lagging a bit behind. He had to admit his senses didn't feel quite as sharp, and Zorro hit just a little lighter, but Lady Ann hadn't picked up on it.

Joker seemed focused and determined, following orders and pouncing on Shadow vulnerabilities with ruthless efficiency. He'd been inconsistent before, so at least their little jaunt into another Palace wasn't a complete waste. The degree of ferocity his Personas were displaying was a little unnerving, but he couldn't be sure if it was just him overcompensating for being in that other Palace, or if something there still bothered him like a splinter in the mind. It made it almost impossible for the team leader to estimate Joker's state of mental endurance.

Morgana dashed on, then skidded to a sudden halt. A heavy stone gate – almost a solid wall, were it not for a lack of decorations – sealed off the hall. "This is bad. First the ring room, now the ramps? The Palace Ruler is shutting us out."

"All the better to herd the garbage into fire for disposal!" a Shadow Jaffa shouted, before letting loose a discharge from his staff weapon. The other Phantom Thieves gasped, all but one stunned at the sudden appearance of eight Shadow Jaffa at a four-way intersection behind them.

"Ananta Shesha!" Joker bellowed, the giant celestial-skinned serpent coalescing between them and the main ambush group.

The pulse of nuclear flame splashed against the serpent. Joker flinched and swallowed, as if that was all it took to overcome both the pain and injury.

"All fire!" The silver plate-armored Shadow Jaffa snapped. Almost as one, all eight Shadow Jaffa shot the serpent with their plasma weapons.

Joker's foot slammed down against the pale-yellow stone of this level's floor, but he kept his footing. "My turn." He blasted a short burst into one Shadow Jaffa with his P90, then the one next to it, both dissolving like smoke on the wind. The giant serpent body-slammed a pair of Shadow Jaffa taking cover in a hallway on the right.

Rider didn't need to be told to jump into the lull Joker bought them, summoning Johanna and blasting fire at one of the four Shadow Jaffa before taking off with a whoosh of swirling fire wheels.

The ever-graceful and passionate Lady Ann leaped up next, with that no-good artist next to her, both summoning their Personas. By that point, the four Shadows had transformed into a pair of Lamias, some white-furred baboon with a book, and what appeared to be a male human wrapped tight in fine white linen but wearing an enormous, ornamental Egyptian headdress with a jade-capped beard projecting from the chin.

Well, at least he'd seen the snake-women in Mementos before. "Panther, hit the Lamias. The other two are new, stay on your guard and use probing attacks."

Johanna shot a pulse of fire into the bearded guy and left a small singe. While Joker fought the pair of Shadows just past the hallway to the right, Lady Ann's graceful, sensual dancer Persona swung her thorned whip, letting loose dagger-sized ice shards at all four Shadows. The Lamia went down as planned.

The hopping primate held open its book, pages flapped, and a very unpleasant charge filled the air for too brief a moment for the Phantom Thief leader to warn them. A single dot sparked in the air in the middle of the group, then flared into an explosion expanding in a translucent white sphere filling the hallways. Magic used to be nothing major, but this spell slammed into Zorro and sent him crashing into the wall.

From the way Rider picked herself up, it must have hurt Johanna the same.

Before they could rally, the man in royal linen garb and heavy blued-copper headdress held out a hooked rod. Darkness zipped out from its shadow at Goemon, where the curse magic howled up.

Morgana loaded his crossbow and aimed Zorro at the Shadow who just unleashed almighty magic on the Thieves. To his delight, the shimmering psychokinetic aura enveloped the dancing baboon. Zorro slammed it into the ceiling, then back into the floor, where it lay crumpled with the fallen Lamias.

Joker shot the man in the headdress with a long burst and it went down in dissolving smoke, allowing the Thieves to move up and surround the downed Shadows.

The baboon swayed, its heavy book dropped to the floor. "All is lost. Whether from the gods or men, destruction is the only end. Even the wisest men's books cannot divine a way out!"

Morgana glanced up at the agile, longcoated boy. "Wanna go for information or vendor trash?"

Joker held his firearm on the slumped baboon. "I'd actually like to try and recruit that one. That magic explosion hurt like a bitch, and I'd like to know what weaknesses it may have if we run into another one."

Morgana flipped his bayonet out. They'd failed to recruit every single time they'd tried to hold up more than one Shadow before, but that strategic thinking is just what he hadn't seen from the boy in days. Maybe letting him glimpse that other Palace was a good idea. "Okay, but brace for trouble, Thieves."

Joker stepped closer and brought his weapon down from firing stance. "You said wise men's books, so you value knowledge and intuition. Join me, and my grades can be unstoppable!"

The baboon reached for its book. "What way but destruction can there be, when Jaffa think of their freedom instead of their god, or when Tok'ra lurk in the shadows no matter how many sweeps Prime Youji has made? A divided house will fall!" It leaped up, tome in both hands as the pages flipped in a gale touching only them.

A beam lanced out at Joker, slamming him into the wall.

The Lamias popped up, one belching a foul breath over the whole hall.

Fox shot it and the snake-woman dissolved. The other launched itself forward with the speed of an ambush predator, raking its claws across the artist.

Lady Ann summoned her Persona and sent another bolt of ice into the Shadow, dissolving it.

Morgana summoned Zorro behind him. A good psychokinetic slam worked last time, so he did the same thing. This time the book bounced away and the white-furred baboon fell to the floor face-first.

Joker held his gun at the ready, but glanced to the team leader. "One more shot?"

Morgana shrugged. "A little more serious and less clown, this time."

The baboon bowed prostrate before the team leader training a crossbow on him. "Please, just make the end swift!"

Fox tensed behind his rifle. "Does even a perfect maze not have an exit? Astronomers may know how the heavens go, but not how to go to heaven. Those answers lie with other wise ones."

Joker held out one gloved hand. "Even toddlers can balance a see-saw by sitting on different ends. How much more can men raised in different courts do when a rival's mind is there to sharpen yours?"

The baboon nodded. "True, not all answers are written in one book. I shall unleash the power hidden within." It burst into black ribbons which streaked into Joker's mask.

Rider caught him before he could fall. "Any hints about where to go next? We're running out of ways to advance."

Joker blinked under his mask. "Nothing from Thoth, but I just had a thought… This is a space ship – all the systems, from the pressure doors sealing our way up to the ring room, are controlled by computers. I'm pretty sure we're higher than the computer core. If we can get in there, we should be able to disable the security lockdown."

Reaper shrugged. "Makes sense. This Sakura girl's s'posed to be a hacker, right?" The others nodded, and the plate-jacketed Thief fell in step next to Joker. "I'm just mad 'bout my gun. I'm luggin' an RPK-74 paratrooper LMG, but your puny PDW is way OP, takin' down Shadow Jaffa like they're nothin'."

He just smirked back. "Hey, it worked in the show. Why do you think I asked for one?"

While the two boys were supposed to be the strongest runners, it took the group no effort to keep up as they descended to the computer core. They ran across another two Shadow Jaffa patrols, neither of which provided the challenge of eight at once.

Even so, Rider fell in step with the team leader. After pausing for a patrol to pass, she said, "Don't think I haven't noticed. You're acting more tired than normal, and Reaper and Joker have both been hitting way lighter than usual. Something happen yesterday?"

"Nothing important!" Joker picked up the pace, though his footfalls sounded heavier than before.

They ran into another Jaffa patrol and extorted a scuffed silver necklace. When Rider tried to question him, Joker pushed them on. At last, they arrived at a heavy door. "This should be it, guys. I think this is where they went to extract Thor's consciousness after Anubis downloaded his brain."

Ann rolled her eyes. "That sounds more like Ghost in the Shell than this space-fantasy thing."

Morgana flipped out the bayonet and checked to make sure he still had crossbow bolts. Today had been more draining than most, only another six left. "Breaching places, everyone."

The Thieves arrayed at the sides, then Rider tapped in the open sequence. The stone doors slid sideways into the wall.

Instead of columns of the promised control crystal units, a tidy grid of stone beds stretched on and at least thirty Shadow Jaffa looked up at them. A sign of computer circuitry sat above the door on the opposite side of the barracks.

A beat passed before the Shadows all scrambled for their staff weapons.

Reaper pulled the trigger, spraying wild gunfire into the barracks. Rider pounded the keys to close the doors, but a golden bolt of plasma lanced into Reaper's left arm before the doors slid closed. He shrieked and dropped his machine gun to its lanyard to clap a hand over the charred flesh below his shoulder.

"Run!" Morgana shouted.

Rider grabbed the machine gun and switched its strap to her shoulder, even if it was the wrong way for use, while Fox grabbed Reaper's good shoulder and helped them run through the halls.

Stone slinked open and the first Shadow Jaffa came out after them, staff weapon already leveled to fire.

Joker shot it in the breastplate and it dissolved in fading smoke.

The Thieves ran on until a yellow bolt zipped through the hall, just missing Ann, before it slammed into the wall and left a dark scorch against the stone.

Joker turned and aimed to down the next Shadow. He fired again, but instead of the satisfying sound of a dissipating Shadow, the leader heard the sound of one swelling and breaking free of its cognitive binding. "Shit. Run faster, guys! More on the way!"

The Anubis who popped out of the latest one brandished his forward-curving bronze sword with a roar, and a dozen bolts of light lanced at them.

Knowing most of Joker's Personnas were weak to bless magic, Morgana summoned Zorro to take the blows. The hits pounded into him, and despite his pride in his magical prowess, they proved too much and dissipated his inner self. Morgana slipped and tumbled, but Joker grabbed him by the head shroud to pull him back up so they could keep up the frenetic sprint.

Wednesday, 27 July 2016
Early Evening
Futaba's Palace, Desert

Ann pushed up her mask to wipe at the sweat dripping down her face, her gun up and ready for another wave of Shadows to surge down that supply ramp.

Beside her, Makoto clenched her teeth and strained to summon Johanna. They were all worn out from the fighting retreat, especially Akira and Ryuji for some reason. Motes of warm, orange light swam over Ryuji's charred arm and mottled red skin replaced the terrible wound. While the artist tore open and applied one of the medicated bandages they purchased from the doctor, Makoto dismissed her Persona and struggled to regain her breath. Sweat dripped down the upperclassman's chin. "Okay, now let's get out before any more Shadows come out of the woodwork."

The Phantom Thieves faded into the alley path in front of the Sakura house.

The torrential downpour soaked them the next second.

Somebody bumped into her from behind and Ann jumped away with an "Eep!" Her foot slipped, but Yusuke caught her.

An old man with a cane and hooded raincoat glared at her. "Watch where yer goin', young'un! It's too wet to be out playing!"

They stepped aside and the old man trudged on. Akira tugged at his umbrella out in the loops of his leather travel satchel, then decided not to bother. The Thieves dashed to the shelter of the inactive theater.

Ann squeezed water out from her pigtails and looked at the track star. Wearing a tank top with a shooting star on the front, it gave plenty view of the tied-on bandage. His skin outside seemed intact. "How's it feel?"

Ryuji's jaw tensed, but he lifted his arm and moved it in a slow, wide circle. "Hurts like Kamoshida gave it his best punch." He slipped two fingers in and tugged the medicated bandage away. "Looks like jus' a big ol' bruise. Thanks, Prez."

Makoto let out a relieved breath. She pulled at the soaked poet blouse clinging to her. After a few moments failing to find a comfortable adjustment, she asked, "How is it one shot was enough to kill you, while it only hurt Ryuji?"

Morgana cleared his throat to get their attention. "I think I can answer that. First, cognitive Sojiro shot him in the heart. Second, the Metaverse is a cognitive reality. Akira is deep into the show on which the Ruler built her Palace. I'll bet Joker's seen them be dangerous through the whole TV series. None of you have. The same belief which makes your guns work made their weapons dangerous to him."

Yusuke wiped his wet hair from his face. "Are you saying they would be less injurious to us?"

Morgana's tail sank and he shook to try to throw off water again. "They would have been. There are some fundamental understandings of weapons which would mean you'd still be hurt, but seeing Akira shot created a knowledge in your own cognitions. So let's try not to get hit." He turned to the transfer student. "It's going to be a few days longer until your AC unit gets here, so you're going to have to stay with someone."

Akira glanced at the track star. "Nope. No offense."

"Whatev'."

All at once, Ann remembered the heart-to-heart she had with Yusuke about owing him and never having even tried to pay him back even after all his hospitality. She straightened. "I'll do it."

Ryuji held up a hand for the transfer student. "Hell yeah, bro!"

Makoto's jaw dropped and her cheeks turned red.

Ann punched him in the stomach. "Get your head out of the gutter, Ryuji. He just needs a safe place to sleep."

Morgana paced in a circle, his tail held straight up. "I'll have to come along to protect Lady Ann's honor!"

Yusuke took in a sharp breath. "You do not. Ann-san may be as beautiful as a desert flower, but she is as rugged as one as well. She had the strength to fend off the unscrupulous advances of the monstrous Kamoshida, who had naught but carnal designs for her. Akira is honorable and upright. Even if he had affections for her, it would take but one word from her to bring him to a halt. And she is strong enough to do more than that."

Ann held a hand to her chest as if that could slow the fluttering of her heart. Nobody had ever both shown so much faith in her and defended her like that.

A small, satisfied smile on his face, Yusuke turned to the transfer student. "Besides, you yielded your abode to me for weeks. If anybody owes him a place to lay his head, it should be me."

Makoto managed to take in a breath. "Are you allowed to have friends over at the dorms?"

Yusuke pursed his lips. "The official rules are no overnight guests. However, as long as the floor manager is not inconvenienced, I doubt there will be a problem." He bowed in apology. "I am afraid I do not have any spare bedding, but you are welcome to stay with me."

Morgana's tail settled down. "Very well. Fox, you are ordered to make sure he gets some sleep. The rest of you, think about your preferences. I know funds are low after ordering Joker's AC unit, but consult with Reaper about gun upgrades. We'll sell knick-knacks and see what we can do."

Ann pulled out her phone. "Oh, I've got a shoot tomorrow." She looked up. "I knew we'd have a money shortage with the AC thing, so I asked my agency if I could get some more work. They gave me hours tomorrow and Sunday."

Morgana nodded. "Of course, Lady Ann. Anything else?"

Akira raised his umbrella and looked to Ann. "I've got a spare umbrella in the loft and some spare clothes if you guys need. The bath house is right across the way."

Thursday, 28 July 2016
Morning
Chiyoda-ku, Naruke Dojo

Makoto jogged around the corner, getting in a little cardio since the dojo would be air-conditioned. Most of the time the front was clear, but today a tall girl with long, dark hair and a soft purple dress stood near the front door, absorbed in her phone. It had been intimidating enough that one day she stumbled across Hifumi in the bustling streets of Jinbocho, one among a million on the sidewalk, but standing alone in the early morning light, it was impossible not to take in the whole girl. The last traces of gold morning light had yet to fade, giving an otherworldly glow and made that long, perfect hair look dark as onyx. Combined with a dress as fashionable as anything Ann wore, Makoto swallowed against a surge of body anxiety.

Hifumi tapped her phone and sighed, then glanced up. Her eyes widened and the corners of her mouth turned up. "Niijima-san." She gave a graceful, formal bow. "Excuse me for being so early. I overestimated how long it would take to walk here."

It took more than one try for Makoto to get her mouth working again. Against the other girl's flattering purple dress, her sky-blue blouse and black slacks felt casual to a crude degree. "O-oh, no. I was just finishing a light morning jog. It's so hot out I almost can't exercise outdoors during daylight."

Hifumi gave a considerate bow. "That's very diligent of you, Niijima-san. Mother has me work with a personal trainer three times a week, but it's always inside and feels suffocating." Her smile tugged down, but she shook her head, making the red thread dangling from an omamori-style hair knot jiggle. "S-so where shall we be going?"

Makoto paced to the front door. "Right here. The tables and chairs at the front are for friends and family of members. Big Sis has done case work on them while waiting for me to finish practice. The members won't mind."

Hifumi's glimmering green eyes widened. "You practice here?" Her eyes darted over the posters and advertisements. "That's very impressive, Niijima-san." She rubbed one hand along her opposite sleeve. "I've never known anyone who actually practiced martial arts."

Makoto swallowed against a thick feeling in her throat. "Oh, it's not nearly so impressive as your accomplishments in shogi, Togo-san." She held the door open for the other girl, and they sat down on the wood chairs arranged around magazine-covered little tables in the front. "Akira even sent me a couple websites to review shogi rules and strategy for today."

Faint pink bloomed in Hifumi's cheeks and a soft smile grew. "He is such a thoughtful young man, isn't he?"

At least a dozen instances of Akira recklessly jumping into things leaped to mind. Makoto swallowed those and instead stuttered, "S-sure!"

Hifumi sat down and glanced at the dozens of magazines covering the whole table between them. Her hand paused at a sports and hobby magazine with herself in a formal kimono on the cover, then pulled a golfing issue over it and arranged the others to flatten the surface for her travel shogi board. "How long have you been practicing?"

Makoto brushed her hair back over her ear, wishing she'd worn her braided hairband instead of the black sweatband today. "Oh, at least five years. Dad met Mom at a dojo like this shortly after he joined the force and he wanted all of us to have the same discipline and sense of self as he felt it helped instill in him."

Hifumi held a hand over her mouth too late to hide a cute smile. "That sounds so romantic. Two lovers meeting over the wind-swept field of battle like the king and queen of rival castles." She finished setting down the pieces. "Do you and your sister practice together often?"

Makoto deflated a little. "Oh… Big Sis pretty much stopped when she entered law school. Dad and I practiced plenty… before." When she breathed out, the reminder of that long night waiting for news from Dad felt like a weight pressed over her shoulders. "So, who goes first? Wasn't there something about throwing pawns?"

Hifumi tugged her chair a bit closer and straightened. "There are enough rules for tournaments, the only ones I insist on is that once you touch a piece you move it, and that you limit your moves to under twenty seconds. As the challenger, you may take the first move."

Makoto looked down and slid the pawn in the center forward.

Hifumi's slender digits took a pawn from the side and placed it with an intimidating snap. Her already prim posture squared. The class president could swear she saw gears whirling behind those green eyes.

Makoto reached for her first pawn, then remembered it was usually best to have pieces cover each other so she had an option of reprisal if her piece was captured. She slid up a different one.

Eyes fixed on the board as if she could set it alight from force of will alone, Hifumi's hand snatched out and she moved her pawn forward with another resonating snap.

They exchanged a few more moves, Makoto losing several pawns to Hifumi's well-positioned offense. She moved a lance forward to try to cover her crumbling front.

Hifumi picked up her bishop, in one fluid motion taking the lance and snapping down her tile. As if beginning a momentous speech in a sentai film, she called out, "Dark Inferno Rock!"

A few of the nearby students who'd been trickling in since the game started paused to look over.

"It's okay," Makoto assured them. She pulled back and looked at the board, then to the long-haired girl. "Um… What was that?"

Hifumi sucked in a quick breath. Pink spread over her cheeks. She clasped her hands together in her lap, her shoulders hunching. Her voice came out as a hoarse whisper, "I'm so s-sorry."

Makoto almost stood up, the change in energy too much. "Oh, no. I must have done something wrong. I'm sorry, it's been a few years since I last played."

Hifumi clasped a hand against her chest. When her voice came out, the timid tone struggled to cross the space between them. "N-no, the fault is mine." The cute pink on her cheeks deepened. "Father taught me how to play by using narratives to help remember the rules. I would imagine myself as a queen looking over her kingdom. During a match I tend to… fall into the role."

"Oh," Makoto said. It made sense, it just seemed such a change it still had her feeling off-balance. "Well, no harm." She looked down and frowned, annoyed with herself for not leaving an opportunity to take the bishop.

They settled into a calmer back-and-forth, though Hifumi's back and shoulders straightened again as they got into the rhythm. A new clump of practitioners entered from the changing rooms, and one motioned a few fellows over as they came to the table. "Niijima-chan."

"Oh, good morning, Idaware-san," Makoto nodded in respect. She was second dan when he started, but he was still older.

Idaware plopped his hands on his hips, his eyes casting up and down the shogi master. "Hold on a second." He looked her over again. "Are you the Venus of Shogi?"

Hifumi raised a hand in a subtle gesture to rub her forehead while also shielding most of her face.

Two more practitioners in workout gis approached. "Wow, you're right! She's just as beautiful in person as she is in those spreads."

All of the men crowded a little closer. Idaware brandished a wide smile. "Well there, little lady. You interested in checking out some masters of martial arts?"

Another handful of the men practicing nearby started exaggerating their moves. The shogi master might not have even noticed, but their sloppiness irked Makoto.

Hifumi continued rubbing at her forehead. "Thank you, but I'm just here to share a game with my friend."

Idaware gave a bow which felt more patronizing than respectful. "We'd be happy to give you some personal instruction. Martial arts is a wonderful opportunity for strength and flexibility training."

"No, thank you," she said, her tone cool as a winter breeze.

Idaware edged just a little closer. "No charge, it would be our treat."

Makoto rose to her feet, her heavy steps thumping over the thin-carpeted floor at the window-side front of the dojo. "She said no, Idaware. Don't disrespect the dojo."

His smile vanished into a thin line and he puffed out his chest a bit. "No need to be rude, Niijima-chan."

Two voices cried out within her. Sae telling her to fulfill her expectations, the other Johanna, saying there could never be justice which required her to disgrace herself.

Makoto grabbed Idaware's gi and yanked to put him at a safer angle, planted her foot, then launched into him shoulder-first. The blow sent him stumbling back until he hit the mat and fell backwards.

The morning instructor called a halt to his handful of morning students and strode from the mirrored side of the dojo. "What's going on here?"

Makoto bowed. "Apologies, Eguchi-sensei."

Hifumi stood and bowed. "No, it's my fault."

Idaware stood, his teeth gritted. "That is it. You want a duel? You've got it!"

All practice in the dojo came to a standstill. The instructor held out a hand to warn Idaware to keep his distance. "What happened?"

Makoto swallowed and took a small, steadying breath. "I was just playing a game of shogi to start the day with Togo-san. Idaware recognized her, tried to hit on her, and didn't take the first two 'no's. When he moved to get closer, while still disrespecting me, I added some space."

Eguchi's narrow eyes swung to the mid-thirties student.

A vein stood out on Idaware's head. "Th-that… I was just trying to be friendly to a potential new student! Niijima-chan was totally out of line, bum-rushing me." He turned a glare on the class president.

Hifumi picked up and opened her purse. "None of this is necessary. I'll just go."

Makoto's hands clenched. "No, Togo-san. You were my guest here and you did nothing wrong. You shouldn't have to retreat due to the incivility of others."

"Incivility?" Idaware huffed. "Let's see you say that out here on the mat!"

Eguchi raised his eyebrows. "You want to challenge a third dan student?"

Idaware held his scathing glare on the class president. "You haven't even finished high school. The only reason the owner gave you third dan is because he was in the police with your father."

Makoto bared her teeth. "I accept."

"No," Eguchi said, turning to the thirty-something student. "In the past five minutes, you have disregarded the well-being of a guest and disrespected not only your fellow student, but also the man who founded this dojo with me. Aikido is about discipline, respect, and harmony. I understand everybody has a bad day. If you apologize, this may end at a temporary suspension. If you do not, then you will change back into your street clothes and leave before I have to file a disturbance of the peace report with the police."

Idaware glowered, his jaw clenching for long seconds before he stormed across the mat for the showers and changing rooms.

Turning to the two girls, Eguchi bowed at the waist. "Niijima-kun, Togo-kun, I apologize for the unpleasant experience this morning. The dojo is about rising above the corrosive influences of the ego."

Hifumi set her purse down against the table and gave a bow of her own. "I should have been quieter and more mindful of my own behavior."

Eguchi shook his head. "We have children and toddlers waiting up front here for their fathers or brothers all the time. Even if there is a lack of discipline by somebody off the mats, that is no excuse for a lapse on the part of a student."

The curly-haired student who had been in the group crowding around Togo scratched his scalp. "On behalf of all of us, Togo-chan, we're sorry for getting caught up. It's not every day a beautiful celebrity comes by." He gave a nod to the student president. "I seriously thought you were gonna lay him out on the floor for a minute. Naruke-sensei doesn't certify people who don't prove themselves."

Eguchi cleared his throat. "I read manga when I was a kid too. I'm well aware I just ruined the dramatic finish. But the burden of discipline starts with the instructor." He crossed his arms and regarded the student president with a more relaxed air. "I'm a bit surprised, Niijima-kun. You used to be a much quieter student. Idaware-san has never respected your seniority in the art."

Makoto felt Johanna thrum within her and allowed herself a small smile. "I came to an understanding a short while ago, thanks to a friend who wouldn't quit."

Hifumi gave an unexpected smile at that. "Sounds very much like a special friend of mine."

Eguchi glanced to the other students, and they all returned to the mats.

Hifumi sat down at the shogi board with the student president. "That may have started off badly, but I must admit, aikido looks much more interesting now than I thought before."

Makoto slid up another pawn. "Before?"

Hifumi kept it cupped in her hand to keep it hidden, but slipped out a small can of pepper spray. "I'd never seriously considered learning martial arts before. Capsaicin makes a baby of a hundred-thirty-kilogram man." She slipped it back in her purse, then moved up a knight with a snap.

Makoto scanned the board. Her opponent had opened up holes across both flanks and had most of her center guarded. She moved up her own knight. "One-hundred-thirty is rather specific. Make sure nobody else sees it, technically any offensive item like that could violate Article 1-2 of the Minor Offense Act."

Hifumi nodded. "I'm aware. Being a young woman with six different reports of stalking to the police grants me justification." She slipped it back in her purse with a heavy breath. "I thought Mother was paranoid about it before, but it seems she was more prepared to handle both the mainstream and extremes when my acclaim grew. She had me keep one of those at all times since I started at Kosei." She squinted, her eyes drifting aside for a moment before she moved up a pawn. "Please don't tell Akira. He seems burdened enough as it is, and I haven't had a fan try to grab me for several weeks."

Makoto blinked. "I could… show you a few things, if you would like. Dad never wanted me to get into a fight, but even outside that, aikido helps refine reflexes, balance and situational awareness." She slid up a silver general, just to indicate she wasn't trying to push the other girl.

The shogi maestra advanced a pawn, a faint upturn to the corners of her lips. "I'm sure even Mother wouldn't have a problem with that."

AN: I know the expected manga outcome would be Makoto throwing an older man practicing less than half the time she has. However, real companies have insurance to keep down and occasionally adult leaders actually do their job. Makoto and Hifumi shared only one scene in the game, but they share a lot of traits and it would be a pity NOT to develop that. Hifumi could have been another avenue to develop Makoto's character and look into the world outside herself.